Rebels of the Cluster
by Belmakori
Summary: The Wiseborn children have scattered across the Minos Cluster but events will conspire to bring them back together. Will their divided loyalties shatter their once strong familial bonds? This is the sequel to Children of the Cluster.
1. Chapter 1: Imperial Headquarters

**Rebels of the Cluster**

**Chapter One: Imperial Headquarters**

The hallway seemed long and imposing; It felt like forever since she had last walked it. Pulling at the hem of her uniform jacket, attempting to keep it straight, she took a breath and made her way down the corridor toward the Admirals office. Her limp, though slight, was still evident compared to the normal stride most other officers utilized.

Captain Katarina Screeb hadn't needed any walking device in quite some time, but her injuries left her less than whole, especially on the inside. Her emotional toil could be hidden, her physical limitations, could not. Surgery or cybernetics could fix her limp, but she didn't have time for that, nor did she want it. What she desired was to get back to duty; she had a rebellion to quash. Her family had started this and she meant to finish it. Her once peaceful little sector had been turned topsy-turvy and she aimed to right it as quickly as possible.

Her reputation had suffered due to the betrayal of her family and she felt an innate desire to find them, capture them and imprison them. Her heart … her heart said otherwise. Not wanting to be bothered by emotions or feelings, she did her best to bury her heart. It was a shallow grave, she had realized, as she still felt the connection to them and it was threatening to tear her apart.

Arriving at the door of the Admirals office, she took a moment to calm herself. She was excited to return to duty and a bit apprehensive at the same time. It had been nearly a year since the incident. The Rebels called it a battle, proclaiming a victory. The Imperials regarded it as nothing more than a terrorist attack by violent extremists. She didn't know what to call it. To her is was something … personal.

She had been debriefed once she began her recovery and was coherent enough to respond to the multitude of questions aimed at her. Fortunately, she would not have to face a tribunal or discipline hearing. She had been hailed as a hero for her attempts to hold off the enemy long enough for most of the crew to escape from the dying ship. The losses were minimal, according to the Imperial Navy, but deep down, she carried each death with her. Another open wound for her to carry with her.

No one seemed to know what happened to her parents or siblings. She didn't dare ask for fear of sounding sympathetic to their cause, but not knowing was eating her up inside. From what she had learned, the raid on the rebel's base on Eliad had scattered the rebels across the Cluster. Aside from a few minor engagements, there had been no definitive battle that had eliminated the rebellion. Imperial losses were light as reported by the Admirals office, though she knew those numbers would be deflated to discourage recruitment efforts by the rebels as well as to appease Imperial High Command back on Coruscant.

The sector itself had changed since the incident at Travnin. Yelsain hadn't quite gone into full revolt, but it was considered too dangerous to continue to garrison troops on the planet. Zelak's ignorance was solely to blame for that fiasco. After the withdrawal of all ground troops, the Imperial Navy had imposed a semi-quarantine of the planet. All tariffs were collected by a patrol of Imperial customs frigates. Any ship entering or leaving the system was subjected to searches, fees and possible fines.

Eliad was worse off. No ships could enter or leave the system without the express permission from the Imperial Governor of the Minos Cluster. Because of their support for the Rebels, which they adamantly denied any involvement, several navy ships were stationed in permanent orbit around the planet to discourage any further aid to the rebellion. It was quite tense, but the exiled nobility on the planet didn't want any further troubles, so they complied to the best of their ability.

There were attempts made to search Mestra but the thousands upon thousands of asteroids prevented any hard target explorations. Jevik's warehouse was raided and cleared out; the extensive collection of arms, ships and droids were sold or scrapped to help compensate for the costs of the extended fleet activities for the sector. Adding another battle group wasn't cheap, and thus, taxes had been increased in the sector as well. It was rumored that some of the higher-ranking officers were able to line their own pockets with the sale of Jevik's commodities.

Adlaron was spared much of the Imperial scrutiny since they had limited involvement with the whole debacle. Jevik's properties were raided and his many financial accounts were seized. Katarina was surprised at how much Jevik had managed to save. She was pretty sure that he had money stashed elsewhere as well. He wasn't dumb enough to keep everything in one location. With his status reported as 'missing and presumed dead', she figured that the parasite was in hiding and licking his wounds, waiting to make a reappearance. Just thinking about him made her want to vomit.

With the fleet in the sector doubled in size, helmed by the Star Destroyer _Kynigos_, the _Chariot_ had been space-docked and was in the process of being repaired. Damage from the rebel attack had been more extensive than originally estimated. The _Chariot_ was expected to be laid up for at least another month or two.

With the increased presence of the Imperial fleet in the sector, things seemed to be calm for the time being. The rebels still managed to continue their recruiting efforts, which COMPNOR reported was more successful than originally anticipated. This only meant that things were about to ramp up in the hunt for the elusive rebels.

Katarina sincerely wished her siblings hadn't joined the rebels. The fear they would be apart of the oncoming massacre, was more than she could bear. She tried to brush the thought aside, but to no avail. If found, she might be able to show them mercy, but she was afraid that if Babel Torsch got his hands on them or worse yet, Agent Zelak, their torture would make Jevik's questioning seem like child's play. She shivered despite herself and quickly took a deep breath. No use worrying about that now, she chided herself.

Pressing the keypad next to the door, she sounded the chime alerting everyone within to her presence. The door opened with a whoosh, allowing her to peer inside. Her heart sank almost immediately as she saw both Babel and Zelak standing there along with Admiral Koshtik and Moff Umberlain.

Steeling her nerves, she entered the room and offered a salute, "Captain Screeb reporting for duty, sir."

Admiral Koshtik returned the salute before stepping forward, extending his hand and smiling, "It's good to have you back, Capt. Screeb."

"Thank you, sir."

Releasing her hand, he led her to the holo-projector where everyone else was observing. Eyeing the projected image, she recognized the Cluster as it moved in slow motion. Studying the image, she edged a little closer and noticed several green triangles scattered about as well as several red dots within various systems and planets. Ship placements and known rebel activities, she thought to herself. She made a mental note of where the red dots were located. Her thoughts were interrupted by the deep, rich voice of the Sector's top official, Moff Umberlain.

"Capt. Screeb," he began, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Turning to face him she replied crisply, "Thank you, sir. The pleasure is all mine."

"You remember Agent Zelak and Lt. Babel Torsch," the Moff offered, motioning towards the two beings.

Lieutenant, she thought, barely able to hide her surprise. He'd been reduced to a rank lower than her? She suddenly felt giddy with excitement. She couldn't hold back her smile.

"I do remember them," she said smiling, looking directly at Babel, who returned her smile with a sneer.

"I'm glad to hear that, Captain Screeb, since you'll be working directly with both of them for foreseeable future," Moff Umberlain said evenly.

Katarina's shock was quite evident.

"Will that be a problem, Captain?" he asked.

"No, sir," she replied, feeling her stomach churn before noticing Babel's sneer had turned into a predatory smile.

"Excellent," replied the Moff, seemingly satisfied with her response.

Koshtik cleared his voice, "Lt. Torsch, you may start your briefing."

"Thank you, sir," he said pompously, "as I was about to begin before we were … ahem … interrupted …"

Glaring at Babel, Koshtik made it known he was unimpressed with his behavior, before motioning him to continue.

Katarina noted his displeasure with a sense of relief, realizing that all was not lost. Understanding that there were greater forces at work here, she figured she was most likely being tested and observed. She made a mental note to "keep her nose clean and her record spotless". Everything would be done by the book, she'd make doubly sure of that. Pushing those thoughts aside, she concentrated on Babel's briefing.

"… we still have found no trace of any rebel bases or safehouses, though we believe they may have an active cell in the Shesharile system."

"Not Shesharile," the Moff said quietly, stepping away from the projector.

"Sir?" piped up Koshtik.

"I've received word that the Emperor is going to be shutting down the factories on Shesharile V soon. The money used to finance them is being diverted elsewhere," stated the Moff.

"How soon will that happen," asked Babel, intrigued.

"Within the next few months," the Moff replied, solemnly.

"Those factories supply us with armaments and weaponry! Our supply chains will be affected! This will certainly affect the local populace as well," exclaimed Koshtik, surprised by the revelation.

"Their economy is already greatly taxed. This will drive more civilians into the arms of the rebels," groaned Babel.

"Exactly," agreed the Moff, "We'll need to consider moving more ships and troops into that system. I fear it'll become a hotbed of rebel activity."

"Not to mention the criminal element," added Babel, casting a sideways glance at Koshtik.

Koshtik ignored Babel, instead choosing to stare thoughtfully at the hologram projector. Katarina glanced around the room noticing everyone mulling over the disclosure. This was indeed dire news. Shesharile wasn't fully supportive of the Empire, nor did if fully support the rebels, but it did have a very well-established criminal element that had grown to fill the vacuum left behind by Jevik and Verakis the Hutt.

Keeping to herself, she waited for the Moff to continue.

"Any news of the rogue Jedi?" asked the Moff, breaking everyone out of their thoughts.

"Nothing, since Yelsain," stated Koshtik, "Our attempts to locate him have come to naught. We've conducted searches on Eliad, Yelsain and Adarlon. We've found no trace of him, except on Yelsain. We discovered the cabin he resided in. It had been deserted for quite some time. We only found a broken transmitter. We were unable to glean anything from it."

"That leaves the Wiseborns. Where do we stand concerning them?" asked the Moff, looking directly at Katarina.

"I had a team search the Wiseborn homestead," Babel snarled, staring at Katarina as well, "We found nothing useful. I had another team comb through the files we confiscated from their business when they were arrested several years ago. It was discovered that a virus within the files destroyed anything of value, informationally."

"So, what you are saying," Moff Umberlain said, rubbing his temples, "that we are no closer than we were a year ago?"

"Correct, sir," Babel said, grinding his teeth.

"No rebels, no Jedi and no Wiseborns. We are becoming the laughing stock of the Empire," the Moff yelled, slamming his fist down on the holo-projector.

Startled by the Moff's behavior, Katarina suddenly felt very alone and afraid as every eye in the room suddenly bore down onto her. Her mouth dry, she struggled to swallow.

Sensing her discomfort, Admiral Koshtik spoke up.

"This is why you were summoned, Capt. Screeb," he said quietly.

"Why … was that, sir?" she stammered.

"You have links to them all, and possibly, with your help, you will be able to assist Agent Zelak and Lt. Torsch in their search," Koshtik said.

"Exactly," breathed the Moff, sneering at both Babel and Zelak, "I need results, not excuses."

Katarina watched as Zelak shrugged nonchalantly as Babel began to sweat while taking a hesitant step back, away from the Moff.

Koshtik leaned forward, looking directly at Katarina, "Lt. Torsch is currently assigned to the _Tiberon. _Agent Zelak has been placed in charge of the _Fennu_. I'm placing you aboard the _Tiberon_ as a liaison officer. You are to assist both with their search, offering any information that you can recall concerning the former activities of your parents, siblings or their rebel contacts. You will be a vital tool for the completion of their mission, Capt. Screeb."

"Do not fail us, Capt. Screeb. A lot depends upon you," interjected the Moff, "I will remind you that the _Tiberon_ is Lt. Torsch's ship, and I expect you to extend him all the courtesies thereof. You will follow his orders, as long as they don't contradict your orders. Do you understand, C apt. Screeb?"

Gritting her teeth while masking her fear and anger, she replied, "Yes sir," though inwardly, she screamed in rage.

"Lt. Torsch, do you understand the orders you've been given?" asked the Moff angrily.

"Y … Yes sir," Babel stammered.

"Good. You are all dismissed," barked the Moff, before storming off towards them Admiral's desk.

Snapping off a salute, Katarina hesitated as both Zelak and Babel made their way towards the door. Giving the two of them time to exit, she felt someone grab her by the arm. Looking back, she noticed that the hand belonged to Koshtik.

Leaning in close he whispered, "It really is good to have you back, Capt. Screeb. It wasn't my idea to assign you to the _Tiberon_ under Babel. That was the Moff's doing. Babel pulled some strings with the Imperial Security Bureau and forced the Moff to cave to political pressure."

"I understand, sir," Katarina replied quietly.

"Watch your back," he warned, "If you need anything, and I mean _anything_, contact me immediately."

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"Anything," he hissed, drawing the word out slowly.

Nodding in understanding, she waited until he released her before making her way out of his office. Mulling over what he had said, she wondered how she would be able to navigate this latest minefield she suddenly found herself in. Shaking her head, she exited his office, only to find Babel was waiting in the hallway. She groaned inwardly.

"I saw you and Koshtik speaking. What did he say to you?" he asked angrily.

"It was a private conversation," she replied stiffly.

"A private conversation?" Babel sneered at her.

"Yes, it's no concern of yours," she growled back, glaring at the chubby man's face.

"Don't use that tone with me …" he began.

"We aren't on your ship," Katarina interrupted, a hint of malice in her voice, "Until I formally report for duty aboard the _Tiberon_, I still outrank you. Kindly move yourself out of my way."

Babel snarled taking a step back, allowing her to pass.

"You had better watch yourself Captain…" he began.

She quickly turned on him, he hands balled into fists, "Or what? Are you threatening me, Lieutenant?"

Her eyes blazing, she silently wished he would strike her, then she would be able to report and arrest him. Instead, Babel squared his shoulders, saluted her, while looking over her shoulder.

"Sorry, ma'am," he spat venomously.

Slowly returning the salute, she watched as he turned on his heel, muttering under his breath.

Katarina relaxed a bit once he was out of sight. Out of the frying pan and into fire, she thought. Well, if anyone was going get burned, it sure wasn't going to be her. Taking another deep breath, she limped her way out of the Travnin Imperial Headquarters.

Behind her, Admiral Koshtik watched, silently wishing her all the luck in the galaxy.

* * *

Coming out of hyperspace, the _Dacho_, a Tector class Star Destroyer, suddenly appeared in orbit over Shesharile. It was quickly met by a lone shuttle that had emerged from the planet's atmosphere below. Approaching the larger ship, the shuttle maneuvered towards one of the starboard side airlocks. Within moments, the shuttle was attached to the airlock and completely powered down.

In the re-supply bay, by the airlock, Captain Volker turned to the squad of assembled men. Walking down the line, he inspected each of the Stormtroopers, stopping to look over the civilian clothing each of them wore. Once satisfied, he'd move on until he reached the end of the line; ten men in all.

The pilot of the shuttle, a rather non-descript individual who could have easily been mistaken for any number of ordinary civilian pilots, stood and waited patiently. Leaning against the bulkhead, he pulled out a small sliver of wood and inserted it between his teeth. Chomping down on it, he rolled it back and forth across his mouth, watching the star destroyer officer make his way down the line of assembled men. Unless someone went out of their way to scrutinize the pilot, no one would ever have pegged him as an Imperial Security Bureau agent.

Finishing his inspection, Volker turned to look condescendingly at the stocky pilot. Speaking with a crisp Core World accent, he let his disdain flash across his features.

"I find this whole undertaking quite detestable. What does the Imperial Security Bureau want with _my_ Stormtroopers? Don't they have enough agents of their own to utilize?"

The pilot shrugged, "I'm not really sure. I received my orders just as you received yours. Who am I to question them?"

"Who indeed," snorted Capt. Volker.

Again, the pilot shrugged, brushing off the hostility he felt coming from the Captain. As far as he was concerned, he'd had enough of the pompous officer. He decided to get one last dig in at the Captain.

"Are you finished with your inspection, or do you need to wipe their noses one last time? I haven't got all day, you know."

Hissing, Capt. Volker handed over a data pad, "I've never liked your kind. Rude and unprofessional. It's no wonder you've been assigned to this backwater system. I'll be sure to note your insolence in my report."

"You do what you have to do, Captain," the pilot teased.

Mumbling under his breath, Volker complained, "I give you my ten best Stormtroopers, and you insult me."

The pilot's keen hearing picked up Volker's muttering. Grinning he said, "Don't worry, there's more where that came from. Be sure to put that in your report, too."

Volker visibly turned red before departing from the supply bay in a huff. Before the door had fully closed behind him, the pilot muttered, "Good riddance."

Turning to face the ten Stormtroopers, data pad in hand, the pilot barked out, "My name is Lt. Harig, you will address me as Harig. We'll be setting aside all manner of military formalities during this mission. As you've been briefed, we believe there is an active cell of Rebels on Shesharile. You are to find them, investigate them and ultimately, infiltrate them. You've all been trained in the arts of espionage and subterfuge, so use whatever means you deem necessary to gain access to them. Any questions?"

One of the stormtroopers spoke out, "Are we working in teams or as individuals, sir?"

Harig grinned. A Stormtrooper that could think for himself was beyond the typical "point and shoot" mentality they were most famous for. His confidence rising, he dared to hope this operation would be a success.

Glancing down at his data pad, Harig asked in return, "DC-281?"

"Sir!" DC-281 answered crisply.

"Individuals. These aren't Saw Gerrera's rebels, but they aren't pushovers either. We don't want to raise any suspicions. You will all be quartered in the factory district and your cover will be dissatisfied individuals with the current regime. Keep an eye out for any recruitment possibilities.

Once inside, gather intel and find out as much as you can about them. We need names, places and any other logistical information you can get your hands on. Gain their trust and loyalty. Lull them into a false sense of security. Woo them, if you must. We need to know everything about them."

Handing each of them a small, black commlink, he continued, "You'll be reporting in each week as required. Make sure your reports are thorough and concise. Leave nothing out," grinned the Lieutenant.

"Understood, sir," the stormtroopers replied in unison.

"Good. Let's get aboard, shall we. We have a rebellion to crush," Harig announced, motioning them towards the air lock.


	2. Chapter 2: Shesharile Vi

**Chapter Two: Shesharile VI**

Ludot Martuuk the accountant sat, eating his dinner. Grabbing a fork and knife, the portly Neimoidian cut into the squirming grub on his plate, briefly examining it before placing the juicy morsel into his mouth. Chewing slowly, he savored the juices, allowing them to roll over his tongue. Giving out a soft groan, Ludot knew his head chef had once again, outdone himself. The grub was the right temperature and still wiggling and juicy. Absolute perfection.

Reaching for a large goblet of Cambrian wine, the Neimoidian felt a cool draft waft through his dining room. Carefully looking around, he noted that everything was exactly where it should be, nothing was out of place. The fire in the fireplace was still going, though it was flickering wildly. The wind probably came through the flue, he reasoned.

Usually, he didn't eat alone, but tonight was different. Though he loved the company of his companion, Houna, he felt the need to spend some time alone. He'd had a long, hard day with a new Imperial Inspector; a man by the name of Harig. It had cost him quite a few credits. The inspector wasn't naïve, he was greedy and wasn't up to speed on all the routine bribes and kickbacks. He proved to be quite expensive. It would take nearly a week to recover from the financial setbacks, he groused.

Lifting his goblet, the lights in the room suddenly went out, leaving only the firelight to illuminate the dining room. The dancing lights turned his once cheery space into something eerie and it made him uneasy. He reached for the commlink he'd left lying on the table, only to find it no longer working.

Panicking, he kept his eyes moving, fear wouldn't allow him to move anything else. After a few moments, he found himself in control once again. He needed a drink and took a sip of wine while peering over the top of his goblet. He eyes came to rest on a human male suddenly appearing at the end of the table. His face was masked by the darkness. He was leaning on one of the chairs with his left elbow while his other hand rested on a blaster, holstered at his waist. The stranger made no sound, choosing instead to stand and stare at him.

Slowly putting the goblet down, his hands visibly shaking, Ludot grabbed his napkin and wiped his mouth, before speaking. He wanted to sound tough and hoped his apprehension wouldn't be heard in his voice.

"Only a fool … enters my home … without being invited," he managed to say.

The stranger shrugged and pulled out the chair he was leaning on and eased himself into the seat.

"Who are you?" Ludot questioned, "What do you want?"

The man said nothing, taking a moment to look around the room, nodding appreciatively.

"I'll have you know," sputtered Ludot, "that I work for someone very powerful. He could make you rue the day…"

"No need to bluster," the man interrupted, "If I was here to kill you, you'd be dead already."

Swallowing hard, Ludot thought he saw something out of the corner of one of his eyes. He spared a quick second to look but saw nothing. Refocusing his attention on the stranger when he spoke.

"I'm not here to harm you."

"You intend to rob me then? I assure you the guards…"

"… Are taking the night off. I told them that you'd double their wages for the night," the man interrupted again.

"But … they don't work for me, they work for my boss…"

"Exactly, which is why I came to you first. You see, I need to see your boss, Ludot Martuuk."

"How do you know my name?"

"You are a very important individual. I know all about who you are and what you do."

"You have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don't know who you are."

"I'm an old friend," the man replied.

The stranger leaned back in the chair and placed his boots onto the smooth, lacquered surface of the carved homogony table. Ludot bristled at the affront but held his tongue. He was unarmed and didn't want to risk angering the stranger, whomever he may be.

"Are you hungry?" Ludot offered, "I can have my personal attendant bring you something?"

"No need," the man answered.

Alarmed, he felt his stomach clench. Who was this man? Was this the Imperial Inspector come looking for more money, or was it one of his employers' thugs, looking to test him. Hopefully not the latter, he thought. Hadn't he proven his loyalty already?

He felt violated; things like this shouldn't happen to someone as important as he was. Where were those blasted guards? Did this stranger really buy them off? If so, he'd be sure to lodge a complaint to ne Dago about the lackadaisical attitudes of the guards assigned to him.

Leaning forward, the stranger reached over and grabbed a Geldan sun-apple from a tray of exotic fruits. Ludot whined softly, those were his favorite and they were very, very expensive. The import fees alone were astronomical.

Taking a bite, the stranger smiled, his facial muscles twisting slightly. Leaning forward, he revealed himself to the Neimoidian.

"You should have met me at Mestra as we planned."

"Jevik?" the Neimoidian said, shocked, "You're … I thought …"

"No, I'm not dead. According to the official record I'm missing and presumed dead. Lots of folks believe that I am dead, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"But how …?"

"That's not important. What's important is that I'm here, right now, talking to you. I've come to offer you a deal," he said, taking another bite of the apple.

"I don't think I can accept," Ludot pleaded.

"Suit yourself," Jevik said, taking another bite of the apple.

The two of them sat there, quietly, as Jevik slowly finished the apple. Looking to the door, Ludot wished someone would walk in, anyone for that matter. No one had stopped by to check on him in quite some time. His personal attendant was long overdue. He suspected Jevik had something to do with that as well. Terrified, he felt as if he were out of options.

"What is it that you want, Jevik," Ludot said defeatedly.

With a half-cocked smile, Jevik replied, "I'd like to invest in your organization."

"All investments must be approved by my employer. I must clear it through him, first."

"How long will that take?" asked the man.

"A couple of days. Yerkys ne Dago is a very busy being."

"Not busy enough for my liking," Jevik said amusedly, his face twitching erratically.

Motioning to something behind Ludot, he took a final bite of the apple before tossing the core at him. Recoiling in disgust, Ludot allowed it to strike him in the chest before rolling down his robes and onto the floor. Jevik laughed as he got up and headed towards the door.

Stepping from behind the chair, a lithe figure in what looked like battle armor and a breathing mask, quietly sheathed a rather large vibro knife.

Ludot couldn't help but stare at the individual. The mask looked more like a muzzle, protruding as it did from the being's mouth. The bounty hunter turned its head to regard him. Though its eyes were hidden behind the mask, Ludot couldn't help but shiver. He looked the being over, from head to toe. Something about the armor was familiar, before the realization dawned upon him.

An Ubese. Known for their work as bounty hunters or worse, assassins. What is Jevik doing with an Ubese? Ludot suddenly understood the nature of the meeting. This wasn't going to be a business deal. This was a hostile take-over. Shivering, he sat back in his chair.

"Contact your boss, I think you'll find your commlink working now. Tell him to come here … alone," Jevik ordered.

The Neimoidian nodded dejectedly and reached for his commlink.

* * *

Sitting at the table next to his accountant, the Twi'lek, Yerkys ne Dago, scowled at Jevik, as the bodies of his two personal guards slowly fell to the ground, dead. Jevik nodded appreciatively to his companion standing next to one of the support columns. The Ubese assassin returned the nod, silently placing a blaster into a holster slung low off their right hip.

"How dare you," ne Dago spat.

"You were instructed to come alone," Jevik said, taking a seat across from them both.

"And leave myself defenseless against my enemies?"

"I am not your enemy," Jevik smirked, before leaning forward, "unless you think I should be."

Yerkys scowled and shook his head. He looked to the Ubese, his eyes narrowing. For a moment, he thought he recognized the armor the assassin wore, but couldn't quite place it. That one was dangerous. Best to keep an eye on them. Letting out a slow breath, ne Dago turned to glare at his accountant.

Ludot struggled to keep his composure.

"Shall I continue then?" Jevik asked.

Yerkys turned to face Jevik with an icy glare. He nodded slowly.

"Good," Jevik leaned back, smiling, "I have no desire to start another war in this sector. The Imperials and Rebels are making good on that."

"Agreed, but that is not our fight." ne Dago growled.

"No, it's not and as long as those two entities slug it out, we will be left alone. The Imperials will have their hands full keeping the Rebels contained. We'll be free to run things within this sector."

"What are you talking about? The Imperial presence in the Cluster has nearly tripled since the terrorist attack at Travnin. They are scouring the sector, making things difficult for all of us. They've increased the trade tariffs as well as searching every ship they encounter. The fees for bribes have skyrocketed. How you do expect us to be able to 'run things within this sector'?" Yerkys challenged, puffing out his chest, his lekku twitching slightly with irritation.

"I have it on good authority that the Imperials will soon be closing the factories on both the moons. This system will no longer hold any value to them, and they will leave behind only a token force to keep the peace."

"What are you suggesting," Ludot asked timidly.

"What I'm telling you is their already limited resources will be stretched thin. In addition, the depressed economy of both moons means folks will be lining up outside your door begging for loans. You'll be making credits hand over fist. With those profits, you could "buy" government officials and secure the services of the local security forces. You could seize power and effectively rule this moon, not to mention the entire system. There is a power vacuum to be filled and why not have it be you."

"Your offer intrigues me, but it seems farfetched," ne Dago stated, "Why come to me? Couldn't you just start over?"

"Everyone thinks I'm dead. I'd prefer to keep it that way, besides, I like being dead. It's very … liberating," Jevik snorted.

Reaching over, he plucked a small Hwotha berry from the tray of fruit. Ludot winced again, as his guest ate another exotic and very expensive fruit. Those came from Dathomir and the witches there didn't part with anything without a hefty price tag attached to it.

Jevik reached out and grabbed another and popped it into his mouth.

"These are very good. I've heard they were once used to help newly trained Jedi channel their usage in the force."

"Excuse me," Yerkys growled, his voice full of anger, "I'd like to know on whose good authority you are basing your claims on?"

"I still have a contact within the Imperial Navy," he answered before changing the subject, "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"I have a couple of reservations," growled Yerkys, stabbing his finger against the table, "How can you offer such a thing? I know for a fact the Imperials raided your warehouse on Mestra. They also seized The Long Tusk on Adarlon, allowing them access to your financial records. They confiscated everything. You … have nothing," ne Dago pointed out, his lekku coiling across his shoulders.

"I've never, ever kept all of my eggs in one basket. That warehouse was one of many. The cantina was one of a dozen. My dear friend, I'm no more a pauper than you are a human."

"I am not giving up my organization to you," growled the Twi'lek, gesturing angrily with his lekku.

"Listen, it's pretty simple. You have what I want, and I have what you need," smirked Jevik.

"What is it that you want?"

"Manpower."

"And what is it that you think I need?"

"Money, credits, financial security, that sort of stuff. You aren't rolling in credits, Yerkys. I know, I've managed to dig up your financials. Ludot here, isn't very savvy with his security protocols; especially those concerning your business accounts and transactions. And don't get me started on your personal accounts," accused Jevik.

Yerky's sat back for a moment, glancing at his accountant. The Neimoidian shrugged helplessly. Shaking his head, The Twi'lek turned his attention back to Jevik.

"As I've said, I'm not giving up my organization to you," he said gruffly.

"If not you, then who? There's plenty of folks who would be willing to jump at my offer."

"I doubt it. Once I get word out…" Yerkys snarled, rising up from his chair.

"You think I'd just let you walk away after giving you this offer? I'd think again," Jevik said motioning towards the Ubese, "before you make your final decision."

"You mean …" Ludot gulped and looked at the bounty hunter in panic.

Jevik smirked and nodded.

Taking a moment, Yerkys looked to the bounty hunter, then to his dead guards. He glanced over to his accountant, then finally turned his gaze to Jevik. He sat down, slowly.

"Let me get this straight. You'll give me credits to build my business, and allow you the use of my men when you see fit?" Yerkys asked quizzically.

Jevik reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of credits and tossed them onto the table in front of the Twi'lek.

"That's for those two over there," he said motioning towards the dead guards.

Staring at the credits, the Twi'lek thought for a moment.

"That won't be necessary," Yerkys said, "that happened before I accepted your offer and investment."

"Consider it a down payment," Jevik said, winking.

"This isn't an investment, this is a hostile take-over!" Ludot blurted out.

"It's only as hostile as you make it," Jevik chided him, scowling.

Placing a calming hand on the Neimoidian's arm, Yerky's replied, "If you are so wealthy, why not rebuild what you once had?" asked ne Dago.

"Rebuilding takes forever and it's painfully boring. I'd rather have a fully operational organization at my beck and call and let someone else run the day to day part of things."

"That's what a majordomo is for."

"Exactly," Jevik said, shaking his head while reaching beneath the table.

Both ne Dago and Ludot tensed. Neither one was armed, Jevik had made sure of that. Shaking, Ludot began to spit and sputter, looking to ne Dago for help. The Ubese uncrossed their arms and rested their hand directly on the handle of their blaster pistol.

A sudden realization came to him and ne Dago smiled. He again placed a placating hand on the arm of the Neimoidian. Turning his smile to Jevik, he waited in anticipation.

Placing a small durasteel box overflowing with gold and silver credits onto the table, Jevik exclaimed, "Majordomo ne Dago."

The Twi'leks eyes went wide as he stared at the coins. Turning his gaze back to Jevik, he noticed his smile was more predatory than friendly. He decided to return the gesture with a predatory smile of his own.

"I guess we have a deal," ne Dago said, smiling, showing his mouth full of sharpened teeth, "what's our first order of business?"

"Only the two of you will know of my involvement within our organization. No one else is to know. As far as the other Crime Bosses are concerned, this is your organization and you are in charge."

"Sounds reasonable enough," stated the Twi'lek.

"Have you had any dealings with a bush pilot that goes by the name of Mowen."

"I've done some business with him. He's honest and reliable. I had no problems with him. I hear he's currently working exclusively for Pex the Rodian."

"Cease all business with that kid."

"Why?"

Jevik growled, "Because I said so."

Raising his hands in submission, Yerkys replied, "Whatever you want."

"I'd like you to meet with your associate, Pex."

"He is no associate of mine," spat ne Dago.

Ludot began to whine, "The Reavers? They're bad news. The dregs of the Underworld. Best to avoid them."

"Spread the word to everyone. No one is to do business with Mowen, understood?"

"Sure thing" Yerkys asked, his lekku twitching slightly.

"When you meet with Pex, tell him to set the kid up with the authorities. I'm sure he has a few on his payrolls, so it shouldn't be hard to conjure up something good. I want this kid out of work as quickly as possible."

"Pex will want extra compensation. His greed is atrocious."

"Triple any reimbursement costs he may incur. I need it done and done soon."

"Anything else?" grunted ne Dago.

"Yes," Jevik said, addressing the accountant, "Find me a girl. Human, slim, well proportioned, with long blonde hair."

"I can put you in touch with Madam…" Ludot began.

Jevik waved him off, "Nothing like that. Just find someone who wants to make a bit of coin and give her this," he said, sliding over a data chip, "it's my contact information."

Ludot raised his eyes in surprise.

"Make a copy for yourself too. It's how you'll need to reach me. Be sure the girl gets it. It's important," derided Jevik.

"I'll get right on it," Ludot cringed.

"Aren't you going to work out of my base of operations?" the crime boss asked, intrigued.

"Too risky. I need to stay hidden. Best if I'm not seen running all over this system."

"Suit yourself," ne Dago grinned, scooping the credits up. His eyes lit up as he looked over the pile of coins. Running his tongue over his jagged teeth, his mind raced with the multitude of possibilities this wealth could afford him.

"That's my initial investment, 200,000 credits. There's more where that came from. Contact me when you have everything in place," Jevik ordered.

Standing up, he yawned and stretched before stepping away from the table.

"Jevik, I don't trust Pex. He's been known to double-cross those closest to him," cautioned ne Dago, "he could double-cross us."

"If he tries, remember, I have an ace up my sleeve," Jevik said nodding toward the Ubese, "I'm not worried. His organization is just a tool for us to use. They will cooperate or they will be crushed. Simple as that."

"I hope you know what you are doing," Ludot said worriedly.

"Rest assured, things will work out in our favor. Trust me on this."

* * *

Jevik reached the roof of the accountant's abode with the Ubese assassin in tow. Stepping onto the lip of the roof, he pulled out a small communicator and pressed a button before turning to his companion.

"You've been awfully silent."

"I'm paid to watch your back, not to be your advisor," came the metallic reply.

"You don't approve of my plan?"

"No."

"What would you suggest?"

"Go directly to Pex yourself. Throwing credits at ne Dago is a waste of time."

"Pex can't be trusted. He's too wild and reckless; uncontrollable. He'd sell his own mother if he thought he could make a profit. It's too risky to let him know I'm still around. He was difficult to handle when I was alive, he's probably only gotten worse."

The Ubese shrugged nonchalantly.

"I need someone I can control. Yerkys fits the bill perfectly. He's ambitious enough and greedy enough to keep his mouth shut. He got a taste of my fortune and I could tell that he's hungry for more," Jevik paused for a moment, looking over the city below him, "I could see him eventually rising to fill the void left by myself and Verakis. If I fill his head with delusions of grandeur, he'll be too busy dreaming of a decadent lifestyle and less likely to insert himself into my business."

"The Twi'lek isn't dumb. Mentioning anything about Mowen was foolish. You may have piqued his interest in the kid," the assassin said matter-of-factly.

"I would hope so. How else am I to draw out his sister?"

"You should've let me hunt them down. It's what I do. I'm trained in over a hundred different methods of torture. I do my job well, they would have definitely suffered."

"Patience, Sheetal, patience," Jevik cautioned.

"What if they learn that you are still alive? They may come after you. You should be proactive instead of reactive. Let me hunt them down before they discover the truth."

"If it ever comes down to that, I might. Until then, I want them to suffer as I have suffered. I want _her_ to suffer," Jevik growled. His hands started shaking and he quickly clasped them together to get them to stop.

"If she's your target, why go after her siblings?"

"Because deep down, she cares. She may pretend otherwise, but her feelings for her family run long and deep within her, more than she realizes. Going after her siblings will certainly draw her out."

"I hope so," came the response.

Jevik motioned towards several lights heading towards them.

"Our ride is here. We'll discuss this later."

"Of course."

He turned to look at her, "Will you be staying, tonight?"

Jevik couldn't see her look of contempt beneath her helmet.

"Of course," she replied, evenly.

* * *

Yerkys ne Dago ran his hand over his face. He needed a bath, he could feel the cold, slick sweat still clinging to his face. He wasn't afraid of Jevik, he may have been caught off guard, but no, he wasn't afraid. It was his bounty hunter companion that made him worry. He figured out who she was and knew what she was capable of. Sheetal Zorn, Ubese Bounty Hunter and Assassin. A very dangerous individual, indeed.

She generally worked for females only and was known to hate the males of any and all species. How had he acquired her services, he wondered? He must have something on her or he had something that she wanted. Whatever it was, as soon as she could get the upper hand, she'd kill him; slowly and painfully. It was her method of operation. She, if anyone, could topple an entire criminal empire, if she chose to. Yerkys shivered at the thought.

He turned to look at his accountant, his eyes narrowing.

"You need to upgrade your security protocols immediately."

The Neimoidian panicked, "I will begin working on them in the morning."

"You will begin working on them now! If a stranger can hack into your system, I can only image what a trained professional could do."

"My apologies. I will start on it right away."

Grunting, the Twi'lek reached out and pinched the Neimoidian's cheek. "That's good to hear."

Rising to his feet, he gingerly stepped over the body of one of his guards.

"Contact Pex. Tell him that I need to meet with him immediately. The earlier the better. Let's get this bit of unpleasantness done with. I wouldn't want to upset our new … boss."

"As you wish, sir," Ludot replied dejectedly.


	3. Chapter 3: Rebel Enclave

**Chapter Three: Rebel Enclave**

Megara smiled as the circular device on her bed came to life and began projecting a small, blue image of her sister, Evie. Lying on her stomach, with her feet raised, ankles locked, Megara gushed, "It's so good to hear from you, I have so much to tell you!"

The blue image looked around her for a moment, as though she were checking her surroundings before responding.

"Same here. A lot has happened since we last spoke. Has it really been a year?" replied Evie, relief showing before allowing a smile to cross her face.

"It's been a long time," Megara said wistfully, "Lots of things have changed. Lots of things."

"Are you alone?" Evie asked pointedly.

"Yes, just as you requested. My roommate is out for the night and I've got a noise dampener up to hamper any listening devices."

"Good. We need to be careful."

"I understand," Megara said quietly, "Why so much security? First your encrypted message, which by the way, wasn't that hard for me to decode, followed by all the security for this transmission. Why?"

"We can't be too careful. Master Craer doesn't know that I'm talking with you and its best if we don't get caught by him or the Imperials. I don't want to put any of us in danger. Just by contacting you, I'm risking a lot."

"What's going on, Evie?" Megara asked concerned.

"It's been so long, I just had to talk to someone, anyone."

"You have Bendu," Megara reminded her.

"Yes and no. He's too focused on his training. He'd rather train then talk and he doesn't want to talk about anything prior to our arrival here. He's just shutting everything and everyone out, it scares me. He's so dark and angry now."

"Wow!" Megara said perplexed, "Bendu has always been angry. Remember how he used to tease us relentlessly? Mom said he never meant it, it was just his way of dealing with various issues in his life. I'm sure, right now, he's just burdened by his training. I wouldn't worry about it."

"I can't help it," Evie said quietly.

"How are you doing? How's your training?" Megara asked, trying to change the subject.

"Hectic. I get very little down time. I'm always running here, running there, meditating, concentrating on the Force, lifting rocks and tons upon tons of reading."

"Reading, that should be right up your alley. You love reading."

"Not the materiel I'm supposed to read. My books back home were much more interesting, they had plots, and romance and adventure. These Jedi texts are just plain boring. Master Craer calls it research, but it's an absolute bore-fest. I'm sure there's something in there that I should learn, but I often find myself falling asleep while reading."

"They're that boring, eh?"

"You have no idea," Evie said sarcastically, "These are actual books, not something on a data pad. They are hand written copies of copies of copies, or something like that. They are old, dusty and fading. I've been told that I need to be in touch with the Force when I'm reading, to fully understand them. I'm no linguist, but I think there is something lost in the translations."

Megara giggled, "I never thought I would hear you say that about books. Those have always been your first love."

"Yeah, I know. It's just…this is different. Everything is different now."

"Because you have the Force?" Megara offered.

"Yeah, having the Force has changed everything. It's like I'm one of the wizards I used to read about. I can do great and magical things and awe everyone, but I feel so alone and out of touch with everything around me."

"Evie, c'mon, it can't be that bad. You've just awoken something new and exciting. It's a gift; one that I know you'll put to great use. I wish I had your gift. The things I would accomplish…"

"No, you don't," Evie cut her off, "and I'm not so sure I'd call it a gift. At times, it's more like a curse. There's so much I don't know or understand and so much that I have to unlearn. I feel as if I'm a toddler again, exploring the world around me. Only this time, I'm less sure of myself. Everything is so different."

"Evie, listen, it can't be that bad? This is the Force we are talking about. The Jedi used it for a thousand generations. They protected and served the galaxy. They were the elite of the elite! Don't you remember Dad's stories of the Jedi and all their accomplishments?"

"Much good it did them, besides, it's different now. Back in the day, most padawans my age had already passed their trials and were considered Knights in good standing. I have little over a year under my belt and I'm no better than a fledging Force user. Younglings, they used to call them. It's so frustrating."

"Evie, I know you. You're strong, you'll do fine. You just need time."

"I'm not sure we have time. I've had dreams. Bad dreams. They scare me."

"Have you spoken to Craer about them?"

"Heaven's no. He'd want me to meditate on them. They are scary enough without having to relive them each time they come to mind," Evie winced, suddenly clutching her chest.

"Are you ok?" Megara asked alarmed.

"It's the pain from being shot. It comes and goes. I don't think I'll ever fully heal from it."

"You had a full bacta immersion and a year to recover. You should be doing fine," Megara said cautiously.

"Well, I'm not," Evie snapped.

"Whoa, calm down. I don't want to upset you, I'm just concerned. You still have those pain killers, the ones I hid for you on the _Cameroon_?"

"Yes," Evie said tersely, "I still have them. I only use them when needed."

"How often are you needing them?"

"I'm fine," Evie snapped again.

"Seriously, maybe you should talk to Craer about the pain?"

"No, he wouldn't understand."

"Evie…"

"Enough Megara, please. I don't want to talk about this right now."

Giving her a look of concern, Megara bit her lip to prevent herself from saying anything more. She wondered what was bothering her sister. She decided to keep quiet and see if it would come out during their conversation. At least she hoped it would.

The two of them said nothing as Evie did her best to compose herself.

"Enough about me," Evie said, trying to sound chipper, "I want to know how everyone else is doing. I want to know what you've been up to. You are my only link to the greater galaxy."

"I'm not sure where to start," Megara said hesitantly.

"Start at the beginning," Evie paused, smiling goofily, "and don't leave anything out."

Megara gave a short laugh," Very well. Mowen and Teba are off somewhere, no one knows for sure where. They left shortly after you and Bendu did. There are reports they were working for some low life criminal gang, running contraband and such. They've been having financial problems as of late, but that's all I know."

"Financial problems? I hope they are okay?" Evie asked quietly, suddenly reserved.

"Teba knows how to get ahold of me, if things get really bad. She hasn't yet, so things must be okay for the two of them," Megara confided.

"It's just that some of the dreams I've had concern both of them," Evie said, putting up her hand to forestall her sister's question, "I'll discuss it later."

Megara frowned, before continuing, "Ok, where did I leave off, oh yeah, Mom and Dad both left after the Imperials raided Eliad."

"I heard it was a vacation. Why didn't they take you and Javid?" Evie asked, awed.

"It wasn't a vacation. Somehow, Drun convinced them to go on one final mission."

"How did he manage to do that?" asked Evie, surprised.

"He promised to take care of Javid and myself since the mission took them outside of the sector. I've learned since then that they went to Tatooine or Dantooine or something like that, I'm not sure which one. They are representing our sector at the conference."

"Bendu mentioned something about those two places after we left. Said he'd eavesdropped on a conversation. He thought it was a vacation. Any idea what the conference is about?"

"It has to do with the formation of the Rebel Alliance into a single organization instead of the individual cells and factions scattered all over the galaxy. They are trying to unify us all to create a greater force to stand up against the Empire."

"Is it working?"

"Yes and no, from what I've been able to learn. Though unified in their cause, many are against a direct confrontation with the Empire. As of right now, diplomacy is the option of choice. Drun, on the other hand, thinks actions speak louder than words. He still talks about the incident at Travnin. He calls it a victory for the Rebellion."

"I wouldn't call it a victory, it was a near disaster. We only survived by sheer luck," Evie remarked.

"The Imperials are calling it a terrorist act."

Evie crossed her arms, frowning at her sister, "Pshaw, it was a military engagement. We were the only civilians involved in that mess."

"As I recall, it was your decision to have us join."

"Mowen and Bendu were in trouble and needed our help!" Evie exclaimed.

"They were in the custody of Imperial troops," Megara reminded her.

"Whose side are you on?"

"I just want you to realize what is being said about us. All of us Wiseborns have been labeled as terrorists. Mom and Dad are listed as escaped convicts as well. There are bounties on our heads. Nothing to really be worried about, but an annoyance to say the least."

"I see," mumbled Evie.

"The price on Drun's head is quite large. The Imperials want him, badly."

"I'm sure he's in hiding?"

"Yes. We haven't seen him in quite some time."

"Must be hard to recover from the losses at Travnin. It'll take them forever to rebuild."

Megara smiled sheepishly, "Actually, it didn't take that long. After we fled Eliad, we hid out in the Mestra system. An unknown benefactor supplied us with more starfighters and because of Drun's speeches and our actions, our ranks have begun to swell."

"You keep saying _WE_, Megara," Evie aske alarmed.

"I've joined the rebellion."

"You did what!? I thought Mom and Dad expressly forbid it?" Evie asked, shocked.

"They aren't here, and I'm an adult, Evie, I can make my own decisions. Anyways, I completed my basic training a few weeks back. I've been assigned to a safe house on Shesharile V. A security team and I will be transferring there shortly. Until then, I'm stuck on an asteroid here in Mestra. I'm just a tech, but with my computer skills, I've been able to … learn … a few things."

"You're hacking their systems?" Evie asked incredulously, "Shame on you!"

"It's not like their encryption codes aren't hard to break. They could desperately use an upgrade in the codes they use. I'm working on a better encryption program for them. I hope to finish it over the next few months."

Evie shook her head slowly, "Mom and Dad are going to be very upset with you."

Megara shrugged, "It's in our blood. I've always been a rebel at heart. You should know that."

"True, but you've gone against Mom and Dad's wishes. Have you forgotten about our sister, Katarina?" Evie asked accusingly.

"No, I haven't forgotten," Megara growled, "But I'm not a combatant. I'm a technician. Though I've had training in the martial arts and close quarters combat, I doubt I'll ever see any action."

"You'd better hope so."

"This coming from you, the Jedi in training, the antithesis of the Empire's policy. That makes you the sworn enemy of Emperor. Or have you forgotten that part?" Megara accused.

"No, I haven't forgotten" Evie replied, angrily defending herself, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. You, on the other hand…"

"I'm not, is that what you are implying?" Megara interrupted angrily.

"I'm just saying that I'm better equipped to handle them."

"Are you sure about that? You were just saying that you couldn't handle your newfound Force abilities."

"I … I … I never said that. I said…" Evie sputtered.

"Just because you can do things that I can't, doesn't mean that I can't fight against the Empire as well as, if not better than you can. Just because I can't use the Force, doesn't mean that I can't stand up for what's right and fight those who oppress us. I'm fully capable of taking the fight to them, instead of hiding on some planet, training…" Megara fumed.

"Now just wait a minute. You know exactly why I had to leave. You aren't being fair about this at all. This training is important, and I don't think you understand…"

"Don't tell me what to think. You aren't here. You aren't fighting the Empire, day in and day out. You aren't watching them as they slowly tighten their grip on the galaxy. You aren't here to watch them remove every freedom that we value and love. You aren't here!"

Megara was surprised at her own outburst. She hadn't meant to attack her sister, but she also hadn't expected the conversation to turn in the direction it had. She trembled with anger as she tried to figure out what had happened. Why did they turn on each other so quickly? What was going on?

She had been excited to be able to talk to her sister, now she wasn't so sure it was a good idea. Instead of a conversation centered around what was going on in their lives, it had degraded into a shouting match about who was the better person. For crying out loud, they were on the same side. Megara's vision blurred as tears began forming. She quickly wiped them away.

Evie was taken aback and stared at her sadly, letting her anger slowly fade away. She watched as her sister wiped at her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she felt her own tears beginning to form. She tried to blink them away to no avail. She felt deflated and no longer wanted to continue the conversation. She decided she needed to end the transmission.

"I'm sorry, Megara. I didn't mean to upset you. I should go."

"Evie wait … don't…" Megara pleaded.

"I'll talk to you again soon. I'm sorry," Evie apologized before her blue image disappeared from the small circular device.

"Evie!?" Megara cried, as she reached for the device, desperately trying to reconnect to her sister, but it was too late. With the connection severed, she had no way to contact her. She'd have to wait for Evie to reach out to her again. After how this turned out, she wasn't so sure she would.

Megara rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, tears sliding down the sides of her face. If only she could take back what she said. If only she hadn't let her anger get the best of her. If only, if only… she thought, allowing herself no peace, no forgiveness.

For the first time in a long time, she missed home. She missed her family and most importantly, she missed her sister.

* * *

Javid cursed as the torque wrench came loose from the bolt he was trying to tighten down. Falling backwards onto his rear, he tossed the wrench aside and grumbled loudly. It was taking forever to get this engine repaired. This wasn't his forte, he built things, he didn't repair them. That was Teba's job. For a moment, he wondered what Teba was up to.

Shaking his head, he stood up and reached for a small rag and started to clean his hands. He needed more grip and didn't want to rely upon a maintenance droid. If only he was stronger, or better yet, a force user like Bendu. Then he could use the Force the tighten the bolt. He smiled as he allowed the thought to run its course. The things he could do if he was a Jedi, like his siblings. For a moment, a tinge of jealousy coursed through him, but he let it go before it could take hold.

Wiping the rag across is brow, leaving a streak of grease, he walked over to his wrench. Hefting it, he walked back over to the engine he had been working on. It was an R200 engine, and he nearly had it completed. It was the final piece to his own personal Y-wing fighter. He had managed to scrape together the parts and over the past year, had been building his own version.

Ever since he'd seen them in combat at Travnin, he'd been fascinated by them. Sure, they weren't as nimble and sleek as the A-wings or as strong as the X-wings, but these ships were designed to fight their way into and out of a combat situation, and still deliver their payload of bombs, torpedoes and whatnot to great efficiency. The downside was constant maintenance, which Javid didn't mind.

He had managed to salvage several pieces of the ship as well as manufacturing some of his own and it was nearly complete. He just needed to finish this final engine and attach it to the frame and he'd be able to take it out for a test flight.

The other maintenance techs looked upon his work with little to no enthusiasm. Since he wasn't part of the Rebellion and was just the temporary ward of Drun, they tolerated him and his antics. Boy would they be in for a surprise when he got this thing up and running.

Turning to his droid helper, "Lucky, grab those power converters and bring them to me."

Lucky was a WED-15-Treadwell, with the designation code LK-3. It had six arms attached to a small cylindrical body, which sat atop a pair of treads that it used to maneuver around with. Atop the body where the photo receptors, which looked like nothing more than a pair of macro-binoculars that had been welded to the top of the body.

Javid had modified them a bit, adding several tightly curved springs, giving the droid a set of bushy eyebrows, as well as several springs dangling from beneath, giving the impression the droid had a beard. Though it did nothing to enhance the droid's performance, it did make its cosmetic appeal quite humorous. Lucky's appearance was the source of many a snicker behind the poor droids back, many of which came from Javid himself.

The droid beeped in response, its photo receptors nodding enthusiastically, sending the springs beneath clanking and clinking, making a slight tinkling sound, as it made its way over to the work bench where the converters were lying. Javid shook his head and chuckled.

A commotion caught Javid's attention out in the hallway, causing him to look up. He groaned inwardly as he saw one of the new recruits enter the maintenance bay and look around. Javid avoided eye contact and tried to slink down behind the engine. He hoped he wouldn't be noticed. The new guy must have seen him as he headed straight for him with a determined gleam in his eye. Javid could only groan again.

"Hey buddy, how's it going?"

Ugh, Javid thought, did he really have to talk to him too?

"This area is off limits to non-essential personnel. What do you want Whit?"

"I've been assigned to security, I have access to the entire complex," he said cheerily.

"That's nice," Javid groaned, "What brings you here?"

"I'm off duty, buddy, and was looking for your sister, Megara. Have you seen her?"

"No," Javid said tersely, waving towards the exit, "She's probably on duty, somewhere."

"No, I checked the duty roster. She's off this evening. Do you know where I could find her?"

"Have you checked the mess hall? Maybe the Rec room? Her quarters, perhaps? Why the blazes are you asking me?"

"You're her brother, I figured you'd know where she is."

"I don't keep tabs on her. She's one of … you now," he said derisively, "If you can't find her, then maybe she needs to be transferred to the espionage division."

"You're joking right?" Whit said with some hesitation.

"Whatever, I'm busy," Javid said dismissively, waving him away.

"Alright buddy," he said looking around, "What are you working on?"

"Nothing," Javid replied.

"Ok then, keep up the good work," he said as he made his way from the maintenance bay.

Javid despised being called "buddy". It boiled his blood. He was no one's "buddy", especially Whit's. According to Javid, Whit Ch'dar was an idiot. He only seemed interested in Megara and what she was up to. It bothered him to no end that he was constantly questioned about his sister. She'd chosen her path and he could care less. He just wanted to be left alone. Was that too much to ask?

Though he tried, he couldn't put Whit from his mind. There was something odd about that guy. He had arrived with a couple of other guys, all factory workers or something like that, that were fed up with the Empire. Whit had managed to single him out and tried his best to be his friend. Javid couldn't figure out why. It's like he saw him and zeroed in on him. It seemed creepy the way it happened. He clung to Javid and refused to let go. He may have only wanted a friend, but Javid couldn't take it and Whit had a hard time taking no for an answer.

Having no interest in friendship, Javid had brushed him off like so many crumbs covering his jumpsuit after snacking in bed. Javid couldn't stand the guy and thought he had made it quite clear. It wasn't until Whit had met Megara that he had started to back off. Now, he only seemed to come around when he was looking for her. It wasn't as bad, but lately, Megara had been very busy and thus Whit was left to fend for himself, it seemed. And so, he came and bothered Javid more often.

He was surprised that Megara agreed to hang out with the guy. He seemed to follow her around like a lost little puppy. It was sickening. Maybe she liked the attention, or maybe she just needed a friend, who knew? Javid didn't care as long as he left him alone. He had better things to do, like putting his ship together. His goals didn't match those of the Rebellion and that suited him just fine. He'd soon be free of this place and could explore the galaxy on his own, without anyone harping on him about responsibility and stuff.

In a way, he was jealous of Teba. She'd been allowed to go gallivanting across the sector with Mowen. If Mowen had taken up Dad's offer and had accepted the _Cameroon_, then maybe he'd have joined up with him, but Mowen loved the _Jud_. That hunk of junk was beneath Javid's liking. He couldn't figure out why Teba had such an interest in that hulking piece of space debris.

Hearing tinkling behind him, he turned to face Lucky.

"What are you looking at?"

Lucky made an odd noise that sounded disapproving.

"Is that about me or him?" Javid asked motioning over his shoulder with his thumb.

The droid looked to Whit and made the sound again. Javid smiled.

"I agree. Now let's get back to work. I'd like to finish this up by tonight."


End file.
